Pricked on Every Thorn
Prologue The sky was lit with a soft indigo, giving gratitude to the moon for not leaving it pitch black. It responded by letting the stars twinkle and shine, it seemed when you saw one shine bright for just a moment, another would catch your eye. Begging for your attention, before another with do the same. As you follow these stars, you realize they make a path. A path that you could practically walk ''on. Which, you could. The stars were covered with a soft glow, that gave out small spurts of light with weight being put on them, and lifted off. A cat heaving themself across the path, stars streaming from his ginger pelt like a stream branching from a river. The tom refused to look at the territory below, he knew borders were being crossed by his pawsteps. But this was important. Not as urgent as other times called for, but, nonetheless important. The ginger leader did not know why his friend had called a meeting, he did not know why it was so important that it could not be shared with the others. Perhaps, it would frighten the kits? Or disturb young warriors and apprentices- was a change coming that elders would not agree with, something that would shake the Recent Starclanners to their very roots? Leaving your clan behind was a tragic thing, you are separated to be reunited with those who went through the same thing. Like leaving your mate and kits for your mother and father in sky. Death, unfortunately, was something they could not prevent. No matter how many lives were granted to a cat. They would still die, and join their ancestors in the sky. Death did not cure all causes, death did not pick and choose a cat. Death did not mean that grudges would be dropped, and it did not mean that a problem with another would be solved. That was to be made into the afterlife in the stars. Hopefully before you faded with your own memory forever. "You've finally arrived!" The cat turned his head to the huffing of annoyance from his friend. Locking eyes with that sturdy blue gaze that did not look away for anything, no matter what your rank. "We've been waiting since moon-high! For Starclan's sake!" Under clan terms, this cat had no right to speak to him this way, but this was Starclan. There were too many leaders here for any sort of proper authority. "The path over the star lake isn't exactly an easy one to take, Goldenwing." It was true, there were many winding paths in star tribe.What was easy was long and dreadful, what was shorter was harder to go through. "That aside, what did you call us for?" "It's about the newer apprentices in Owlclan, particularly-." The leader flattened his ears, cutting Goldenwing off. "You made me- us- come all this way to talk about some apprentice in Owlclan?" "Well- I-" "No! Why would you waste our time like this? Apprentices are not of importance! They are young and in training, and must learn before becoming relevant enough to be concerned for. Unless they are a medicine cat apprentice, but even they do not have signs to prophecies- Not until they've completed their training!" The leader's fur was on end now, right now he could be with his son and daughter sharing a nice rabbit. But ''Noooooo! ''Goldenwing had to drag him and two other cats out here for ''nothing! Tigersun was just kind of... Staring at him... While Chestnutstar looked very unamused. It was painfully obvious that Goldenwing had been frightened by the old leader's outburst, but to him? It was anything but important. "It's their fates, my good Beestar. One of these apprentices will rise up as leader of Owlclan- but, he is anything but leader material. This tom is arrogant and hot-headed. Quick to jump conclusions, and would surely start a war. What can we do?" Beestar stared at the old medicine cat through narrowed eyes, she had been killed by an Owlclan warrior not long after she had given Briarstone his full name. Dumb cat was probably paranoid because of the traits on an apprentice who sounded like his mentor failed to discipline him and teach him the correct way to act. "Apprentices are not of concern," He began once again. "they are untrained warriors who have not been disciplined by their mentors, bby the time this apprentice is a warrior. I assure you, he will have straightened up. Quit being paranoid and thinking all Owlclan cats are evil, and stay out of a warrior's business- Medicine Cat!" Chapter I Wind tugged at her fur like bramble branches in the middle of the woods, something that filed her ears and provided the perfect cool down on a hot summer day, especially when living in a pine forest that was located on a hill, making them higher up than that of their rival clans. Scarletpaw was taking a moment to catch her breath, with a rabbit resting at her paws. Her tongue moved across her shorter fur with quick pace, as the wind would mess it up as soon as she was done grooming her red tabby self down. Her big ears pricked at the sound of thumping paws, signalling the presence of another piece of prey. Rabbits were a rarity in Owlclan. Sure enough, there was a huge squirrel, getting fatter than it already was via eating acorns and whatever else it could find. Scarletpaw could remember her mother praising her, bragging on her good hearing and good eye sight. Scarletpaw was often noted for having big, round ears, and crystal clear emerald eyes that stretched wide when she was in attention to something. Of course, that was the word of other cat, the water wasn't clear enough here to see her own reflection very well. And therefor, she had to wait until it rained to see herself in a puddle. Speaking of attention, Scarletpaw's morning tasks flashed back into the back of her mind. If she did not get prey for the elders, she would not eat. Cruel as it sounds: that's how it was in the clans. If you wanted to eat, you had to contribute to feed others as well. Had to! One would say 'That's not fair!' in a misguided outcry. But, it was. Mother's could not hunt due to having kittens, elders were too old to hunt for themselves, and what about the sick, what about the injured? It's a completely justified system that kept everyone well fed, or at the least the priorities well fed. Scarletpaw could remember tearing into a thin mouse as kit, that old Archstar had dropped at her paws and urged her to eat. Despite the leader's pelt and fur pitifully clinging to his ribs. Now she was ready to do the same, to hunt and fight. Defending her territory and feeding the young and old until it was her time to retire and get the reward from it. In resting and being fed and cared for herself. Scarletpaw dropped low to the ground, so her belly fur would just barely brush the grass. And placed one paw forward, forcing her tail to be still. Her pupils expanded as she neared her prey, excitement crackling off her fur like that of lightning in a storm. The red tabby apprentice shook her haunches, and leapt! The squirrel let out a ''scream ''rapidly squirming in an attempt to get out from under her paw, clawing feebly at her with small claws that felt like pine needles. In a simple movement of snapping her head down and sinking her teeth into the flesh of the neck, the squirrel was silenced and still. Satisfied, Scarletpaw turned and went back to the rabbit that was still a fox length or so away from where she was standing. The Owlclan apprentice began to move the ground, hollowing out a hole too bury her prey and come back for it later. The sun was a blistering ball in the sky above her, the tall, straight pines doing nothing to help her. Just the forest breathing to keep her cool. The other apprentices were hunting, too. Or in the Sandy Clearing for training. Heaving a sigh, her chest puffing up and going back down from deep breaths. Scarletpaw turned to continue her hunting for the day. Chapter 2 The camp was a safe place, one with that of familiar smells, and looks. Nothing could ever be more secure than the camp of your own clan. That was Scarletpaw's mindset, coming into their safe space. Surrounded by walls of brambles, sticks, and whatever else the cats of the clan could find to build dens. As well as secure the walls of Owlclan Camp. Upon approaching the fresh-kill-pile, two of her fellow apprentices were there. Coldpaw, the talk of the apprentices den. Running his tail under the chins of any she who dared to flirt in efforts to make them swoon. While his lesser, far more tame, brother: Jasperpaw was beside him, eating his meal for the day so he could get back to whatever he had been doing before. "Hey Cold', Jasper'." Scarletpaw acknowledged, setting her kills on the top of the pile, where they belong. Before heading to the bottom to drag out a chipmunk for herself. A chubby thing, but not enough to make her feel as if she were hogging the whole pile. Before heading over to the edge of the chattering camp to eat her meal. Out of the corner of Scarletpaw's eye, she saw Jasperpaw break away from his brother. Then pad on over in her direction. The tom sat down in front of her, tail wrapped over his paws respectfully. "Good day, Scarletpaw..." "Hello Jasperpaw..." She greeted once again, she silently longed for him to just leave her to her meal. She had been hunting and now she herself was hungry from the mouth-watering smell of her catches. It was rude to turn down a conversation, but what was more important? Hunger? Or Jasperpaw? . . . Jasperpaw, Jasperpaw was more important. He was a nervous guy, and it just struck Scarletpaw's chest like a boulder thinking about her shooing him away so she could eat. Begrudgingly tucking her chipmunk aside, the she-cat turned to converse with her fellow apprentice,and make an attempt to ignore the hunger wrapping around her belly like plants on a rock. "Hey, Jasperpaw." She carved a smile onto her muzzle. "What do you need?" Jasperpaw just smiled. "I just wanted to see ya, that's all." Her fellow apprentice laid down in front of her. Encouraging Scarletpaw to ease herself. Just a casual conversation, she could eat while they were talking. "Well," Scarletpaw began. "That's very nice of you." It was always awkward to talk to Jasperpaw, the tom was nice. But he didn't meet the same heights as his brother.Category:Flameheart's Fanfictions